


Sapphire Unhinged

by UglySandwich



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Christianity, Closeted Character, F/F, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Lesbian Character, transgender character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-22 22:41:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16606787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UglySandwich/pseuds/UglySandwich
Summary: Human college AU! Sapphire is a christian woman trying to find a way out of falling for her best friend. Ruby just wants to catch her when she falls. Sprinkle in some frat parties, a wild little sister, and a loose glass eye, and Sapphire has herself a good old fashioned existential crisis.Based on Take Me To Church, my very first and very cringy fic. This reboot is less... out there.





	1. Ruby, I'm a Lesbian

It’s two AM and Sapphire doesn’t know whether or not the masked man in the corner is real. These things are never real, but she still stares at him, perplexed, waiting for him to make a move.  
“Please don’t hurt me,” she whispers to him, and closes her eyes.  
  
One Mississippi, two Mississippi… He should be gone by now.  
  
She opens her eyes, and the figure has a knife against her throat. She screams and thrashes, and his knife slices in to her soft mocha flesh. He licks her blood off his blade, and like a true madman, licks his lips afterwards. He’s probably smiling. He reels his tongue in past the white plastic mask, then retreats in to the shadows, leaving her to die. Sapphire can’t breathe. She’s gasping like a fish on dry sand, blood coming out of her neck wound and mouth. She’s drowning in it. It’s all over her. It’s covering the fresh white sheets. Nobody’s here to save her, and she’s going to die alone like her horoscope says.  
  
But then Sapphire wakes with a jolt- for real this time- and the figure is gone. It had only been a nightmare, but it all felt so real.  
  
“Hey,” a voice, thick with sleep said behind her. “Which one was it this time? The puppet with six tongues, or the miniature lion that eats your eyeballs?”  
  
Sapphire grabbed on to her pillow, pulling it out from under her and squeezing it, just so she’d have something to hug. “Neither, it was the masked man with the knife.”  
  
The woman behind her usually had an arm around her waist at all times. She was a light sleeper, and strong, and was capable of keeping Sapphire from falling out of bed or sleepwalking. This was just part of her agreement with the Hart family: Ruby keeps Sapphire from hurting herself, and Sapphire’s parents pay for her textbooks. Ruby would’ve done it without the incentive, though.  
Ruby lifted said arm to her roommates neck, rubbing the front as if it would help Sapphire realize she hadn’t actually been sliced. “See? Nothing happened.”  
  
“I know it wasn’t real… I just don’t want to go back to sleep. Do you want to talk?” She knew Ruby had afternoon classes anyways, she wasn’t taking precious time from her.  
  
“Yeah, sure. About what?” She turned Sapphire over so they could face each other. One of the blonde woman’s calves had ended up between hers. She’d be lying if she said her face didn’t flush then.  
“Mmmh… What’s your favorite food?  
  
The shorter woman did her best to shrug with one of her shoulders pressed against the mattress. “You know what it is… Mushroom pizza.”  
  
“I guess I do know. Huh. What about… colors? Any of those you like?”  
  
“Sapph, please. You know me better than I know me. It’s red. You always knew that.”  
  
Sapphire yawned and pressed herself closer to Ruby, trying to stay warm. She was always cold, to the point where she’d make Ruby, who’s known to overheat, sleep under four comforters. “What about secrets? Got any of those?” Sapphire turned so her body was facing Ruby’s. The arm around her left, and she suddenly felt colder.  
“I guess when I was fifteen, I smoked a cigarette.”  
  
Sapphire’s eyes widened. “I remember, but I never asked what it was like.”  
  
“Awful! Don’t ever do it. The smoke gets all in your eyes. And the coughing! And I learned it would make your teeth yellow and your hair grey.” She sat in silence for a moment before poking her best friend playfully and asking, “What about you? Got any secrets?”  
  
Sapphire froze- pun intended. “Wow. I, um, I only have one. I kind of want to tell you, but please don’t tell anyone else. If my parents find out, not only will they stop paying tuition, they’ll disown me.”  
“What? That big? You don’t have to-”  
  
“-I’m a lesbian.”  
  
Wide, brown eyes stared in to vast oceans of baby blue, until Sapphire clenched her eyes shut. Since she was a child, this moment in her life taunted and tortured her with what if’s and scenarios that she knew were outrageous. The idea of coming out scared her, and now that the closet door was open, so was the door to humiliation and shame. Ruby was going to leave her, she was going to tell Sapphire’s family. She just knew it.  
  
Ruby gaped. How could she have missed it? They’ve been best friends since birth, and they knew almost everything about each other. Ruby noticed every cue and hint Sapphire unconsciously gave away when they were together; hell, she even knew when Sapphire needed to put eyedrops on her glass eye before Sapphire herself figured it out. How could something so big slip past her?  
“How’d you find out?”  
  
Sapphire shook, trying to hold in the tears. The shame was overwhelming. “I stole one of my dad’s playboy magazines, just ‘cause I was a kid and I was curious why he was hiding them.” She paused to wipe the tears away. “Girls just have nice curves. And they’re soft … and I just… I was thirteen. I knew I wasn’t in to guys before that, but I didn’t know I was gay.”  
  
You’re the master of secrets, Sapph…” Ruby smiled, wrapping her arms around her friend again. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. I still love you, okay? Don’t cry.” A head leaned on to her chest, and she held it as she stroked the long, platinum hair. “This was… Eventful. Are you okay?”  
  
When she looked down, Sapphire was silently kneading Ruby’s biceps as she held on to her. “I’m so tired,” she mumbled.  
  
Ruby quirked her eyebrow before she realized what her friend meant. “Tired of hiding?”  
  
“No. I mean yes, but I’m sleepy.”  
  
“Oh… Well, go to sleep.”  
  
An awkward pause lingered between them before the smaller woman asked, “Will you sing to me?”  
  
“Hush little Sapphy, don’t say a word, Ruby’s gonna bring you a mockingbird…”


	2. You Tried To Use A Taco As An ID

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An encounter in the locker room makes Sapphire realize some things are unavoidable.

_“Sapphire…”_

_A camera focused on a little blonde baby, who was furniture surfing among the soft pastels of the upholstery. The little girl was babbling as the camera turned to face Sapphire’s mother, Bella, who flashed the lens a smile and a wink before calling her daughter to her again._

_“Sapphy, do you remember Mrs. Lewis?” Bella asked. She lifted the little girl on to her lap and turned her to face Ruby’s mother._

_Sapphire couldn’t even talk, but June Lewis had a face she couldn’t forget. Crow’s feet, laugh lines, dark freckles, and a genuine smile to top it off. On top of her memorable appearance, June was always in their house._

_In June’s arms was a newborn, sleeping peacefully. “This is Ruby. Rudy wanted a boy so we could have Rudy Junior, but he was just fine with a girl too. So we just flipped the ‘d’ around.” June had mostly been talking to Bella when a smile crept on to her face. “It’s almost fate, though. You named your girl Sapphire, and now I have a Ruby. Hey, one of us should have a third one and name it another kind of gem!”_

_Bella cracked up. “Junie, I love your sense of humor. This is why you’re my best friend.”_

_The camera zoomed in on Sapphire, who leaned out of her mother’s hold towards Ruby. She stared for a moment before reaching out to gingerly touch the newborn’s face. “Wooby,” she mimicked._

_“Martin, look,” whispered Rudy, only his pointing finger visible in the frame. “Sapphire said her first word!”_

“Hey, Sapph?”

The sharp screech of the shower knob turning cut through the room and Sapphire found herself in reality once again. Sapphire flinched at the sudden noise and the sound of her name, and pulled her earbuds out. “Goodness Ruby, you scared me.”

Ruby, who normally would take any opportunity to spook her friend, was shocked that she didn’t look so amused this time. “Sorry. Hey, is that a home movie?” She asked, securing a red towel around her bust as she walked in to the living room. “Are you okay? You know… After last night?”

The air ran cold in their room suddenly. “I… I don’t want to talk about it.”

“You have to at some point… Sapph, what are you afraid of?”

“I…” So many scenarios reeled in her head. She was raised to fear everything, so fear she shall. “I’m afraid of Hell. It’ bad enough I’m a-“ She paused, still too scared to say it. “-Not normal person, so I don’t need you taunting me. Ruby… I need to suppress the feelings. Hide them, make them go away. I’ll go to Hell if I live this kind of lifestyle.”

There was a sharp inhale across the room, a pause, and then “BOI.” Oh great. Another Atheist Ruby Knows Everything About the Bible lecture.

“Sapph, homosexuality isn’t a sin, lust is. 1 Thessalonians 5:21? That ring a bell? Test everything, and hold fast what is good. It’s basically saying you can be romantically involved with lots of different people and choose which gender you like kissing the best.”

Sapphire blinked. “You know that? Just off the top of your head?”

“Duh. Your mom made me read the book too.”

 _You learn something new every day_ , Sapphire thought. She tapped her chin, but then checked the time on her watch. “I have class in fifteen. Can I get back to you on that?”

Ruby nodded and got the door for her friend, who was struggling with an armload of books. “Sure. Have fun in class. See ya tonight.”

* * *

 

Sapphire always took cold showers when she needed to think. Hot water was nice, but when your scalp is burning, your mind doesn’t seem to want to make a list. It was a good thing the women’s locker room didn’t have hot water.

What is she supposed to do now? The closet was a good hiding spot, and it was safe. Sapphire could easily be everything her family and her church wanted her to be: a plain old housewife with perfect children, just like her mother, and her grandmother, and her great grandmother. But now what? Now that Ruby knew, Sapphire would have to live with the guilt of letting her down. She knew her best friend would want her to be more than what the world expects of her.

She felt like she was getting somewhere when a knock sounded on her door. “Hey, all the showers are taken. You gonna hurry it up, shortie?”

Sapphire rolled her eyes, recognizing the voice. It belonged to the captain of the cheerleading squad, Lapis Lazuli.

“Just need to wash my hair, then it’s all yours,” Sapphire answered, trying to be polite. Then, she realized at just the wrong time, the stall door had been unlocked.

That’s when Lapis opened the door and cruised right in. “I’m pretty sure your hair doesn’t need to be washed every day, what with you being half black and all. That’s how that works, right?”

Sapphire’s eyes were as wide as dinner plates. In front of her was the hottest woman on campus, naked as the day she was born, and behind her an entire group of students staring at her own bare back.

An embarrassed Sapphire took her towel and wrapped it around herself as a bright blush spread across her cheeks. “Ah- oh dear. That’s not how that works, but okay. You can take the shower.”

Lapis looked her up and down, then her lips quirked up in a little smile. “Hm. I wouldn’t mind if you stayed, actually.” One of her hands found the towel, and swiftly removed it. “What do you say?”

_“So, what do you say? Want to fuck me?” Jasper asked, flexing her biceps at Sapphire. “I’m so fly I’m on the men’s football team. That’s right. Ya girl plays college football with the guys.”_

_Sapphire took another shot of Fireball. She knew it was stupid, but she needed to do something to relieve her nerves. Jasper had her so worked up with those muscles of hers. “I think you play on the team because you’re not a girl yet.”_

_“I will be one, after we win the playoffs. Then I can transfer out of Gem Academy and go somewhere more diverse, where I can be myself.”_

_“Well that’s really deep for a peabrain like yourself.”_

_“Yeah, it is. So, does that mean you’ll just say yes?”_

_Sapphire took her third shot. “Aren’t you dating Padparadscha?” she slurred. This was a bad idea waiting to happen, but now she felt like she could handle Jasper’s nonsense._

_“She’s got nothing on you, you know.” Jasper told her, pulling out her wallet and slapping a few dollars onto the bar. “Drinks are on me, okay? Let me treat you to the night of your life.”_

_The next thing she knew, Ruby was holding her hair as she threw up onto the pavement outside the bar._

_“Ugh… My gosh Ruby, what have I been doing all night? Everything’s a blur.”_

_Sober Ruby’s face flushed. “Well, you tried to use a taco as an ID, slapped Jasper a handful of times, then started yelling ‘MARCO’ hoping somebody would yell ‘POLO.’”_

_“Did anyone yell polo?”_

_“I did.”_

_Ruby drifted in closer, ignoring the scent of booze on her best friend’s breath. Her heart began to slam in her chest as she sat down next to her, and as their lips drew closer she could feel something in the atmosphere stirring, or something in the universe aligning._

_“Sa-sapphire, I really want you. I mean, I want you so bad, it hurts.”_

_The response was a very smelly burp, and a slurring of “I want you too.”_

_“Wait a minute. You’re drunk, you don’t know what you want.”_

_Sapphire started to respond, something along the lines of the truth that she’d been dying to tell her for years. Fate had other plans though, and it brought Lapis Lazuli their way._

_“Oh, there she is. Sapphire, we’re missing you at the party,” she said in the fakest voice Ruby and Sapphire had ever heard. “I’m sorry about Jasper by the way. She’s a handful, right? Oh, c’mon Sapph, I’ll take you home if you want. I’m sober.”_

_Ruby raised an eyebrow. “You weren’t there when Jasper was harassing Sapphire. I didn’t see you most of the night, actually,” she said. “I’m sober too. We live together anyways, so I’m obviously the best candidate.”_

“No, actually, I don’t. I like guys,” the blonde lied, gathering her clothes from the dry corner of the shower. “I’ll just be on my way then.”

She liked to pretend she couldn’t remember that night, but the aftermath of it all was slowly creeping up on her. Someday, she knew she’d have to face the music and prove to Lapis she knew what she was up to, and someday she’d have to tell Ruby she wanted to kiss her. She dreaded someday.


	3. Padparadscha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Driving while drunk is a bad idea.

Weed. Booze. Sex. The recipe for an average college party. Add two hundred more people that weren’t invited, and you’d have the worst night of Sapphire’s life. She sat on a stranger’s couch, perched daintily on the edge like the lady she was, watching the incapacitated crowd around her. Her social anxiety had her worked up- Everyone was probably staring at her and her inability to act normal in a kind of place like this.

It would’ve been worse if it weren’t for Ruby.

“Sapph, I’m sure she’ll be fine, Paddy can take care of herself. She didn’t seem drunk to me,” Ruby said as she made her way from the beer keg back to the couch to sit with Sapphire. “Shit, that idiot stole my seat,” she yelled, jabbing her finger at the varsity boy who jumped at the opportunity to take the open seat.

“Sucks to be you. I know you were just sitting here so you could flirt with Sapphire,” He slurred. “Hey hot Sapph, don’t worry. I’ll protect you.” One of his arms wrapped around her back, and the other hand pressed against her thigh.

The feeling of his hand crawling up her skirt made Sapphire gag. “Whoa, easy there.” Sapphire pushed him off of her, her eyes wide. “She’s my friend, and I would rather not be felt up tonight.”

Before the boy could respond, some girl stepped in front of him and twerked. That seemed to have his attention, and all that mattered was that he stopped harassing Sapphire.

“Ignore him. Now come on, dance with me,” Ruby said with a chuckle.

The music was loud and the lights were too bright. Everything aggravated Sapphire’s anxiety, but the way she and Ruby pranced around like idiots made her feel at home. She even felt safe, and that’s probably why she didn’t feel so afraid when Ruby held her drink up to Sapphire’s lips.

Sapphire didn’t eve hesitate to take a sip.

“Atta girl,” Ruby praises, handing the rest of the cup to her friend. “Drink up!”

“To hell with the consequences!”

The two of them barely realized a slower song was playing until Sapphire finished chugging the cup. She tossed it on the ground, and looked up to find couples around them either grinding or slow dancing.

“May I have this dance?” Ruby asked, bowing dramatically like they were going to do some sort of a waltz.

Dancing together is just a girl thing. It’s not weird, and it never has been. So Sapphire rolls her eyes and takes Ruby’s hand, pulling her in to an embrace. “Come here, nerd.” She chuckles, swaying with her arms around her best friend’s shoulders. “You know, I feel a lot less worried with some booze.”

A snicker slipped free of the other woman’s lips, and she was suddenly more aware of the distance between her own body and Sapphire’s. Her hands moved from her friend’s hips to her ass, and she realized the touch was more welcomed when Sapphire pressed herself flush against her. “We should probably find Pad soon,” she said, desperately wanting to get out of this before she made any bad decisions with this angel.

“Really?” It seemed like Sapphire hadn’t even heard her. “Cool.” Yep, definitely drunk. Her head rested against Ruby’s, their noses touching.

The shorter girl was too aware of every move, every touch. She’d always liked Sapphire like that, but with her breasts pressed against her own and their lips so close, it was hard for Ruby to not want her. “Yeah,” she mumbled, closing her eyes a little. This was it. She was finally going to experiment with Sapphire- even if the test was only a kiss, and they both knew she was straight.

But as soon as plump, MAC covered lips brushed against chapped, Sapphire was pulling away. She looked uncomfortable, and guilty. “I’m going to go find Padparadscha. We should get going.”

Ruby nodded and let her go.

“Paddy? Pad? You up here?”

The upstairs was silent, save for an orgy in the master bedroom. The noises didn’t bother her as much as the nagging feeling that something was up with her sister. As she peeked around the empty rooms, a voice sounded from the master bedroom that she was all too familiar with, and the sound made her blood run cold.

“I’m going to go use the bathroom, guys. I’ll be back in a minute.”

A peach haired woman opened the door. Sheets were wrapped around her body, and she pulled them tighter around her as she locked eyes with Sapphire.

Sapphire was not amused. “Want to tell me why you’re in there with all those people?”

“Don’t tell mom!”

“You still live under her roof and you broke one of her rules. I have to tell her,” the older woman said, grabbing her sister’s arm and dragging her down the hall. “Keep the sheets on, we’re getting out of here.

With that, they made their way downstairs and out the door, past staring eyes and to the car. Ruby saw them make their way out and followed.

“Who’s driving?” Ruby asked.

“Me,” Sapphire grunted, yanking her door open. “I’m barely even buzzed, I can drive.”

“I’d say you shouldn’t, but we can’t get an uber in this situation. Just do it.”

And the conversation ended there. For three miles, the only sounds were the purring of the engine, and Padparadscha’s snoring. Sapphire clenched the wheel harder. Was God testing her? Padparadscha gave in to lust, and Sapphire almost kissed a girl, so the Almighty must have some big punishment right on the horizon.

Surprise! There was.

“Look out!”

The driver didn’t even see the car coming across the intersection at full speed, barreling towards them as they crossed on a red. “Holy-“

The last thing Sapphire saw was her glasses shatter. She only saw it out of one eye.


End file.
